Coupling device for snow-plows.



PATENT-ED SEPT. 22, 1903.

I Ilia flttorneg.

V ln'vefifo'r,

James WTRusseZl;

. J. W. RUSSELL. COUPLING DEVICE FOR SNOW FLOWS.

APPLICATION NLRB 001: 17 1001 U ITED STATES Patented September 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFI E.

CAR AND SNOW PLOW COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

COUPLING DEVICE FOR SNOW-FLOWS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,348, dated September 22, 1903.

Application filed October 17, 1901. Serial No. 78,983. (No model.)

To all who'nc it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES W. RUssELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk, State of Massachnsetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupling Devices for Snow-Plows, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Because of the law requiring automatic safety-couplers upon all cars locomotives are also equipped with'the same, both at front and rear. In using such locomotives for the propulsion of snow-plows it is apparent that such type of coupler should be used upon the snow-plows also. I

The long push-bar or power-bar peculiar to the Russell snow-plow and an invaluable feature thereof is pivotally connected to the plow near its front end for the purpose of allowing lateral play to the rear end of the power-bar when the snow-plow travels about acurve. This power-bar, which is frequently from thirty to forty feet in length, presents a difiicult problem for the proper combination therewith of an automatic coupler. This problem I have successfully solved in my in- Vention of an automatic coupler-head constructed to be rigidly and directly secured to the rear end of the power-bar, so that the power-bar and the automatic coupler are practically one. In addition to said improvement I have devised certain other improvements in power-bars and parts related thereto, as hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved power-bar with a portion of its length broken out, showing its relation to the snow-p10 w. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the powerbar. Fig. 3 isa cross-section of the same on the line X X in Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a perspective View of the coupler-head. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line Y Y in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the'rear end of the powerbar with the coupler-head removed.

In said drawings-the reference-numeral 1 designates the central supporting-timber or backbone of thesnow-plow incline, and 2 the central timber or nose of the cutting edge of a single-track snow-plow. Although illustrating my power-beam in connection with a tion of both wood and iron or steel, two wooden 'rially improved it by making it a combinatimbers 11 extending the length of the powerbar and bolted together, with an iron or steel I-beam 12 fitted between. Said I-beam is set horizontal in order that it may resist any tendency to lateral flexure, inasmuch as the powerbar is located between suitable top and bottom. supports, which keep it from vertical bending; but it can have no side supports, because it must be free to swing laterally at its rear end. This arrangement gives a firmness and rigidity to the composite bar which cannot be obtained from an all-wooden beam.

The front end of the power-bar is rounded, as shown in Fig. 2, and fitted into the concave end of the block 3, which projects rigidlyfrom behind the inclined timber or backbone 1. Metal strips 20 22 secure the powerbar to said block and the latter tothe timber 1. Said straps are bolted to said parts and loosely secured together by means of eyes 21 23, the latter being somewhat'elongated in order to permit of the required lateral swing of the power-bar. 1

To aid in fastening the straps 22 to the timber 1, the front ends of said straps are bent at right angles to form elbows 24, clasping the front face of the timber 1 and also bolted thereto. This gives the straps ample strength to resist the pull upon the power-bar when the snow-plow is dragged backward out of a snow-bank into which it has'packed itself.

shape of the timber 2, while their rear ends are formed with the hooks 32 set into the The remainder of these sides of the timber 1, as shown in Fig. 5. addition to said spurs suitable bolts are inserted through the timbers and straps, and a rivet 34, thereby binding such coupling-iron with great firmness to the plow and enabling the same to be towed without danger of tlie coupling-iron pulling off.

To form my abnormally long automatic coupler, I construct a coupler-head, preferably of any good type, with means for its rigid and direct fastening to the rear end of the power-bar 10. Such means consists of the sleeve or socket 41, adapted to be introduced over the reduced end of the power-bar and secured thereon by means of bolts 42, passed through opposite sides of said socket and the bar end. The top of the power-bar end is cutaway far enough to bring the upper bolt-heads below the upper surface of the power-bar, while the sides are cut awayor reduced to fit into the sleeve 41 and still have the exterior of the latter of the same Width as the said bar. This last feature is shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the coupler-head is materially lower than the power-bar to the extent approximately of having the center of the coupler-head 40 substantially on the level of the under surface of the power-bar. The reason therefor is as follows: In the regular make of steam-cars the coupler is located immediately beneath the floor-sills of the car; but in my snow-plow it is necessary in order that the power-bar shall be pivoted near the front end of the plow to locate the powerbar between the floor sills on the same level therewith and above the bolsters 51 52, to which the trucks are swiveled. This brings the power bar some inches higher than the coupler-heads of the cars and locomotives, and hence necessitates the offsetting of the coupler-head 40 with respect to the sleeve or socket 41, as above described. For

the same reason I prefer to locate the coup-- ling-irons 30 immediately below the linkstraps 2O 22, and thereby bring the eye 31 at the proper height to accommodate the usual couplers. Another advantage comes from the fact of its being a very difficult and expensive job to forge the straps 20 22 and the coupling-straps 31 in continuous lengths, as has been my previous practice, inasmuch as the hinge-eyes at the rear ends, the couplingeye 31,- and the various bends must all come at the exact distances specified; but by making the link-straps and the coupling-straps entirely separate it is far easier to fit the Various parts and have them both accurate and strong. Furthermore, in my previous construction the tensional strain upon the coupling-iron straps 30 when towing the snowplow and the rearward pull upon the powerbar when backing the plow all came upon the bolts which confined the parts to the timbers; but in my present construction such strains are resisted by the hooks 32 on the couplingiron straps and the elbows 25 on the linkstraps, as well as by the bolts, and so the latter are in no danger of shearing 0E.

WhatIclaim as myinvention,and for which I desire Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. The combination with a snow-plow, of a laterally-swinging power-bar having its front end pivoted near the front end of the snowplow, and an automatic coupler-head rigidly and directly secured to the rear end of the power-bar, such automatic coupler-head being of the type employing a pivoted hook member substantially as described.

2. In a snow-plow, the combination with the body, of the elongated power-bar pivotedat its front end thereto; said body being constructed with suitable crosssills and bolsters to inclose said power-bar upon its upper and under surfaces, and said power-bar being designed to swing laterally between said sills and bolsters, and being composed of two wooden. beams and a metal plate secured between them; said parts being arranged to bring said plate horizontal; whereby the wooden beams of the power-bar are the only parts contacting with the cross-sills and bolsters, and the metal plate serves to stiffen the bar against lateral fiexure, substantially as described.

3. In a snow-plow, the combination of the incline timber, the nose-beam, the power-bar, the link-straps securing said bar to said timber-,and the coupling-iron strap secured to said timber and beam separate from and atalower level than said link-straps, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of October, 1901.

JAMES \V. RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

A. B. UPHAM, LOWELL M. MAXHAM. 

